Electric horn.



W. W. DEAN.

ELECTRIC HORN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15, I9I3. 1,267,060. Ptented May 21, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

III.

III I unnum- III III "Ill W. W. DEAN.

ELECTRIC HORN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15. 1213.

1,267,060. Patented May 21, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 'W. DEAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPO- BATION OII. ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC HORN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Horns, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in electric signal horns or alarms. One of the objects of the invention is the production of a horn, signal or alarm which ma" be cheaply and economically manufacture which is rigidly constructed and not liable to get out of order, and which is efiicient in use.

For the purpose of disclosing my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings one embodiment thereof. In said drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through the center of a horn embodying my invention Fig. 2 is a rear view of the horn with the rear shell or casing removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the casing and diaphragm of the horn, showing the operating magnet and associated parts in side view;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section showing the manner of securing the front and back casings together; and

Fi 6 is a diagrammatic viewillustrating t e horn applied to a motor-driven vehicle.

In the embodiment illustrated, the horn has the usual trumpet or mouthpiece 10, which terminates in a flaring open end and is secured at its inner end to the front piece 11 of the casing inclosing the working parts of the horn. This front-piece 11 is preferabl stamped up from soft sheet metal, such as rass, and is provided with a forwardly extending flange 12 around the circular opening of the front section of the casing, and into this flange the inner end of the born 10 is adapted to be secured by turning over its inner edge or by soldering, or

by both.

The front section 11 of the casing is provided with a rearwardly extendin peripheral flange 13 within which is a apted to telescope the edge of the rear section 14 of the inclosing casing. The front section is formed with a circular seat 15 on which are seated the working parts of the horn. A ring or gasket 16, of cork composition or any other desired material, and which is of large enough outside diameter to fit snugly within the flange 13, is arranged on this seat 15, and on this ring is mounted or placed the sound-producing diaphragm 17, which 1s preferab y of a thin sheet steel. and has mounted on its front face an armature disk 18. This diaphragm, as particularly shown in Fig. 5, is of such diameter as to leave a clearance between its periphery and the flan e 13 for the reception of the edge of the ack section 14 of the inclosing casing.

A second gasket or ring 19 is placed on the opposite side of the diaphragm and is of substantially the same diameter as the diaphragm. These gaskets prevent the entrance of moisture, dirt, etc, around the diaphragm, and provide a suitable clamping surface for the edge of the diaphragm, to permit it to properly vibrate. A clamping ring 20 of the same outside diameter as the diaphragm and gasket 19 holds the gaskets and diaphragm 1n position and provides a mounting for the remaining 0 crating parts of the horn. This ring is he d in position by screws 21 which pass through the front section 11 of the casing and into the clamping ring. The magnet and associated parts of the horn are all mounted upon this clamp ing ring, whereby a unitary structure is formed consistingpf the clamping ring, the magnet and its associated parts, which may all be removed from the casing or horn merely by loosening the screws holding the clamping ring in position.

The magnet core 22 is formed of a plurality of laminations stamped from suitable thin metal, which laminations are substantially triangular in form, and these when built up form a laminated core of substantially triangular form. These laminations are clampe together face to face by two bridge members 23 and 24 arran ed on either side of the magnet core and aving bolts 25 which pass therethrough and net for the pn ose of operatin through the bridge ieces. By tightening the bolts 25 the laminations are compacted to form a substantially solid structure.

These bridge pieces 23 and 24 extend transversely of the clamping ring 20 and are provided with lugs 26 resting on the clamping ring and secured to the clamping ring by means of suitable bolts 27. The magnet coils 28, which are of the proper size and kind of wire and are wound. in proper form on fiber bushings, are slipped over the legs of the core built up as above described from the laminations. These coils are preferably rovided with a suitable protectln cover 0 paper, cloth or the like, and two 0 their terminals are suitably connected together in any suitable way, as by twisting as shown at 29 (Fig. 3). The opposite terminals 30 are brought out through openings in a suitable su port or bar 31, which is preferably forme of fiber or other insulating material and is secured at one end to the yokes of the bridge member 24 by screws 32. Spacing washers 33 are interposed between the bridging member 24 and the supporting her 31 to permit an ample workin clearance between the bar and the coils. hese terminals 30 are each adapted to be connected with a suitable connector 34 of any desired type, but preferably of the structure shown in the drawi gs, which is provided with a reversel ben s ring clip 35 adapted to be presse inward until a tongue'36 bent up min the bod o the connector passes through a slot in t e clip. The

bare end of the electric conductor is inserted in the loop thus formed between the tongue and the clip, and when the spring tongue is released the conductor is caught and securely held in electrical connection with the corresponding terminal of the magnet coil.

Anopenin 37 is formed in the rear section 14 of t e casing for the entrance of the electric circuit conductors connected with the magnet coils. v

By constructing the core of the operating magnet as shown, the eflicieney of the magd the diahra is reat increase the (Ea e are brou ht into close relation to the diaphragm an there is a large amount of iron in the core; owing to the separation of the legs of the core the magnetic leakage between them is reduced to a minimum and .by making the core ends wide and narrow they can be brought closely together to produce a dense magnetic field at the point where they are brought into roximity to the diaphragm. In view of t e dense and compact ma etic field at this point the diaphragm wil be properly operated upon to cause the same to vibrate. I have even found that in some cases it is unnecessary to provide the additional armature disk 18,

e legs of' the diaphragm itself containing suiiicient metal to enable it to act efficiently.

The rear section 14 of the casm is held in engagement with the front section by a suitable bayonet connection consisting of bayonet slots 38 in the diametrically opposite sides of the front piece, and suitable pins 39 in the rear section of the'casing.

In line with the pole pieces of the magnet is the end of a screw 17 against which and the pole pieces the diaphragm is adapted to strike, the pole pieces provide a stationary tapper for the' diaphr and while the screw provides an auxiliary device against which the diaphragm may also strike and also assists in preventing the diaphragm from sticking to the pole ieces it may be dispensed with entirely. lso by advancing the screw so that it projects beyond the pole pieces the diaphragm will strike only the screw in which case the screw alone would comprise the stationary tapper. The preferred manner of operation, however, is to have the diaphragm strike the pole pieces alone or the pole pieces and the screw.

A supporting bracket 40 is attached to the side of the casing by two of the screws 21 which engage the clamping ring 20, and this bracket serves as a means for en porting the instrument in position on t e vehicle.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated the horn as applied to an automobile having an alternating current generator 41 driven by the engine of, the vehicle. Wires are shown connecting the horn with the generator, and a suitable switch 42 is shown placed on the steering wheel of the vehicle. In order that an alarm may be given at any time regardless of the s eed o the engine, the resultant rate of vi ration of the diaphragm is greater than the highest frequency of pulsations or alternations of the current generated by the generator; thus, if the generator is'one that may at. times oduce a current having pulsations or a ternations as high as 500 per second, the diaphragm is designed to have a resultant rate of vibration above that, say 600 per second, so that it will always respond and be released by the magnet coils between the alternations or pulsations even at the highest s eed of the engine or generator. hus tlie diaphragm will not be attracted to the poles of the magnet and stick there due to the recurrence of the pulsations or alternations so rapidly that the diaphragm cannot let go and move back between them.

While I have described for the purpose of illustration an alternating current, it will be understood that an intermittent current of any suitable character may be employed. In using the term pulsating I contemplate broadly any current that is intermittent in character or has intermittent beats or pulsations whereby the armature may be alternately attracted and released, whether such current is produced by the usual alternating current generator or otherwise.

Furthermore, it will be understood that while I have illustrated one embodiment of my inventiomfor the purpose of disclosing the same, my invention may be embodied in various other structures and the structure illustrated may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric horn, the combination with a casing, of a diaphra associated with said casing, a clamping ring secured to said diaphragm and mounted within said casing, 51 pair of bridge pieces extending across the ring and having their opposite ends reming upon and secured to said ring, and an electromagnet secured at its base between said bridge pieces and having its pole pieces in close proximity to the diaphragm, said diaphragm comprising the armature of said electromagnet.

2. In an electric horn, the combination with a casing, of a diaphragm arranged within said casing, a clamping ring within said casing for securing said diaphragm in position, a bridge piece on said clamping ring, and an electromagnet, the pole pieces of which comprise a triangular frame, the base of the triangle being secured to said bridge piece and the apex of the triangle bein in close proximity to the diaphragm, the iaphragm comprising the armature of the magnet.

3. In an electric horn, the combination with a diaphragm, of an electromagnet havmg its core formed of a plurality of substantially triangiularly shaped punchings, said punchings eing clamped together at the base of the triangle by supporting means and having the apex of the tr angle in close proximity to the diaphragm.

4. In an electric horn, the combination with a casing, of a diaphragm within said casing, aclamping ring in said casing for said diaphragm, a magnet having a core formed of a plurality of thin sheet metal punchings forming laminatioiis, bridge members mounted on said ring extending across the diaphragm and clamping. said laminations at their rear end between said bridge members to form a solid core, said core having its pole pieces in close proximity to the diaphragm, the diaphragm comprising the armature of the magnet.

5. In an electric horn, the combination with a diaphragm, of an electromagnet having its core formed of a lurality of substantially triangular-shaped punchings, said punchings being clamped together at the base of the triangle by supporting means and having the apex of the triangle in close proximity to the diaphragm, the diaphragm comprising the armature of the magnet.

6. In an electric horn, the combination with a casing, of a diaphragm arranged within said casing, a clamping ring for said dia hragm, an electromagnet for operating sai diaphragm having its pole pieces formed of a plurality o triangular-shaped punchings, and a pair of bridge pieces secured to said clamping ring and clamping said punchings at their base between the same, said pole pieces at the apex of the triangle being in close proximity to the diaphragm, the diaphragm comprising the armature for said electromagnet.

7. In an electric horn, the combination witha casing, of a diaphragm associated therewith, a clamping ring in said casing secured to said diaphragm, a magnet having a core formed of a plurality of thin sheet metal punchings forming laminations, bridge members mounted on said ring extending across the diaphragm and clamping said laminations at their rear end between them to form a solid core, said core having its pole pieces in close proximity to the diap ragga 8. an electric horn, the combination with a casing, of a diaphragm associated with said casing, a clamping ring secured to said diaphragm, an electromagnet. having its pole ieces formed of a plurality of triangular y shaped punchings, and a pair of brid e ieces secured to said clamping ring an e amping said punchings at their base between the same, said pole pieces at the apex of the triangle being in proximity to the diaphragm.

9. In an electric. horn, the combination with a casing, of a diaphragm associated therewith, a clamping ring mounted within said casing and secured to said diaphragm, a pair of ridge pieces extending across the ri and having their free ends resting upon an ii 'secured to said ring, and an electromagnet secured. at its base between the said bridge pieces and having its pole pieces in proximity to the diaphragm.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo witnoses.

WILLIAM W. DEAN. Witnesses:

W. Pussy HAHN, Alum Sororron. 

